Prayers for China

Please pray for China. There were soo many prayer requests listed in Operation World for China. I picked a few that stood out to me the most.

China- Peoples' Republic of China
"Answers to Prayer:
1. The survival and reviving of the Church in China- was one of the decisive events of the 20th Century.
2. The millions of intercessors who travailed- in prayer for the long-delayed breakthrough . The cumulative impact of 150 years of global prayer for China has been enormous. Prayer IS changing China.
3. The faith and commitment of Christians- under what may prove to be the most harsh and widespread persecution of the Church in all history. The persecution purified and indigenized the Church and has inured it to successive waves of further repression and government efforts to weaken and destroy it.
4. The loving witness of ordinary Christians- ministering in the power of the Holy Spirit. His power has often been manifested in miracles. The majority of these evangelists and church planters have been women- many still in their teens. In many areas 70-80% of the Christians are women.

Challenges for Prayers:
1. There may only be a 10 year window of opportunity - for receptivity. Materialism with increasing wealth, the debilitating effects of spreading corruption, the moral decline and the social impact of the one-child policy all are conspiring to blunt the cutting edge of the Church. Pray that present openness in the midst of opposition may be used to the full.
2. The 'One Child' policy- taming the growth of the population. Family life has been deeply impacted, shown in: a higher divorce rate, 10m abortions a year (nearly all girls), suicide (40% of the world's suicides are in China), pampered children with poor interpersonal skills and the abandonment of baby girls and older people. The rising generation will pay a heavy cost- in 2000 there were 90m marriageable unmarried men; in some areas young men outnumber young women by 30-40%- rape, abductions, female slavery, incest, prostitution and the rapid spread of AIDS could all be the result. Pray for family stability and health. Pray also for wise policies to be implemented that will stabilize the population.
3. The unregistered or house church networks- are the heart of the true Church in China. Intense persecution has indigenized and purified it." (Johnstone and Mandryk 161-162)


I've always wanted to work in an orphanage whether it'd be temporarily or permanently. There's so many kids who don't experience the love of their parents. I can't even begin to comprehend the situations these kids have gone through.

What Fits on a Corner and Can Travel Around the World?

-A stamp!


Operation World is basically a book that lists all of the countries in the world (from countries such as Peru, Nauru, South Korea, Jordan, Mizoram, Ecudador, & more!), what type of challenges the country faces, and how we can prayer for them. Patrick Johnstone and Jason Mandryk are the authors of the book.

For a better description of the book you can go on their website to find more information: Operation World

Places I want to go:

Uganda, Africa

Zimbawe, Africa (Victoria Falls)

Answers to Prayer (Zimbabwe):
"Target 2000, the multi-denominational vision for saturation church planting, set the goal of doubling the number of churches from 10,000 in 1992 to 20,000 in 2000- the goal was reached!" (Johnstone, Mandryk689).
Challenges for Prayer (Zimbabwe):
"The AIDS calamity in Zimbawe is one of the world's worst cases. A combinationi of government neglect, lack of healthcare resources, promiscuity and social reluctance to face up to the drastic measures required are the root causes. Over 25% of all adults carried the virus by 2000; the number of orphans had risen to nearly 1 million (9% of the population). Deaths rose to 700 a week and the economy and life expectancy has plummeted. Pray for:
a.) A radical change in hearts and attitudes to sex and to AIDS itself.
b.) Effective government, NGO and church action to stop the spread the infection
c.) Specific programmes run by the Christian agencies to address the issue. Pray that all churches might face up to moral, spiritual and economic implications of the pandemic for their minsitry" (Johnstone, Mandryk690).

Side note:
It's amazing how God is so beautiful everywhere from Merced to Africa to England to China. Although the temperature, humidity, surroundings may be different and yet it's still oh so beautiful.

Jesus, Our Advocate & Random Quotes

Embracing Accusation- Desiring God by John Piper

Isn't it amazing how God will look upon a guilty sinner and say "you're not guilty"?

Sinner though I am, but righteous. Jesus Christ is our advocate regardless of our sins.

-John Piper

1 John 2:1-2 (English Standard Version)

1 John 2

Christ Our Advocate

¹My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin,^A)">(A) we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. ²^B)">(B) He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but^C)">(C) also for the sins of the whole world.

Random Quotes:

"There is no situation so chaotic that God cannot from that situation, create something that is surprisingly good. He did it creation. He did it at the cross. He's doing it today."
-Handley C.G. Malle

"Sometimes God doesn't tell us His plan because we wouldn't believe it anyway."
-Carlton Pearson

"The key to Christian living is a thirst and hunger for God. And one of the main reasons people do not understand or experience the sovereignty of grace and the way it works through the awakening of sovereign joy is that their hunger and thirst for God is so small."
-John Piper

"God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him"
-John Piper

"To grow in your passion for what Jesus has done, increase your understanding of what He has done.

Never be content with your grasp of the gospel. The gospel is life-permeating, world-altering, universe-changing truth. It has more facets than any diamond. Its depths man will never exhaust."
-C.J. Mahaney (Living the Cross Centered Life: Keeping the Gospel the Main Thing)

"We make time for what we truly value. We build habits and routines around the things that really matter to us. This is an important principle to understand as we seek to build our lives around the gospel. Do you want a cross centered life? A cross centered life is made up of cross centered days."
-C.J. Mahaney

A New Chapter

For the past few weeks or month, I have learned so much about myself spiritually, emotionally, and mentally. I've realized how I've spent the past year and disregarded my personal growth with the Lord and others to pursue and live another life and standard. I'm really thankful and blessed for everything, from family to friends to community, and lastly God (God's grace). I've looked past the details and the strokes of the picture, rather I'm beginning to see the entire picture of what the Lord has in store for me. Oh! I'm beginning to genuinely acknowledge the greatness and the beauty of the Lord soaking in His creation and in the presence of the Lord. Though the pains of a lost relationship still hasn't disappeared, but I'm reminded of the verse-

Philippians 3:8 (English Standard Version)

⁸Indeed, I count everything as loss because of^A)">(A) the surpassing worth of^B)">(B) knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I^C)">(C) have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ

God is good, sooo good to me. :)

Merced River

books, books, books

I've been itching to buy a few books, but I AM looking forward to reading these books. :)

1. Trusting God Discussion Guide- Gerald Bridges and Jerry Bridges
2. Respectable Sins: Confronting the Sins We Tolerate- Jerry Bridges
3. Humility: True Greatness- C.J. Mahaney and Joshua Harris

Living the Cross Centered Life- C.J. Mahaney: Four months = 5th chapter. I realize that I'm a slow reader, this is really slow. It's book surprisingly is one of my favorite books other than the Bible, but I've been lacking in reading in general. It's a really good book, so if you have time go ahead and read it! Krusty (Christine) had originally bought me the shorter version by the same author- The Cross Centered Life. And Stepho reintroduced me the book recently, I like Living the Cross Centered Life better, because it's the complete version.

Simply Nothing

I recently rediscovered songwriter, Shawn McDonald. What I really enjoy most about this artist could possibly be the acoustics of the guitar and of course the lyrics.

Enjoy! :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l63NSwqZ2S4&feature=related

Here I am- Shawn McDonald
I lay myself at Your feet
Asking You won't You meet
Won't You meet me
I cannot do it on my own
I cannot do it all alone
Here I am, oh, tonight
With my arms open wide
Won't You come inside
Won't You come inside, God
Come and fill this heart of mine
I'm in need of You
Of Your touch, of Your life, of Your love
I need You
I need You

"Paul wrote in the book of Ephesians 3:20-21 “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever!” The key is the “Power that is at work in us” it is His power!" -Pastor Dave